KEY POINTS:
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) will tomorrow host a high powered delegation sent here to persuade the national team to contest the Champions Trophy tournament in Pakistan next month.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) delegation will be led by ICC general manager cricket David Richardson and includes Tim May, chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations, and Pakistan coach and former Australian fast bowler Geoff Lawson.
The same delegation will also talk to Australian officials and players in Australia on Friday.
Leading players from New Zealand and Australia have expressed reservations over the security situation in Pakistan for the one-day tournament.
There is the prospect that neither country will send full-strength squads to the event.
NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan and New Zealand Cricket Players' Association executive manager Heath Mills were in talks in Christchurch today and could not be reached for comment.
Pakistan Cricket Board communications director Mansur Sohail yesterday said the delegation's trip was organised at the request of the ICC.
"It is a very logical thing to do and hopefully it will assuage concerns of leading players and make up their minds to come here," Sohail said.
The ICC said the delegation would meet New Zealand officials tomorrow, and their Australian counterparts the next day.
- NZPA
